Friday, November 14, 2008

andy WOAH hol

There's a possibility my winter plans will include a trip to London. Fingers crossed. I know, I know. With the economic slump, how could I even consider battling the ever-so-terrifying dollar to GBP exchange? The good news is, my cousin lives there, and saving on room and board seems more than enough reason for me to return to the city I fell in love with many Shakespearean acts ago (referring to my brief summer study abroad experience, ahem). There are millions of things I want to do there. I want spotted dick from Sainsbury, retail therapy from Top Shop, really cheap wine and really luxurious cheese, Indian food, the Tate and you know, all the other cliched London-esque things to do, people to see, food to eat.

But I also really want to see this.

Since October 2nd, the Hayward Gallery has been hosting the Other Voices, Other Rooms: Andy Warhol exhibit. Archived Warhol art and paraphernalia will be on display. In unveiling Warhol's "personal" repository of goodies, curators hope to answer longstanding questions about Warhol's life beneath the surface of...well, our understanding, I guess (redundant much?) In a Ponystep review, Rachel Newsome asks:

"How little or much we value Warhol’s contribution to art and culture comes down to the question of his sincerity. Was he being ironic when he said: “If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface of my paintings and my films and me, and there I am. There is nothing behind it.” Or did he really mean it? In which case, is the joke ultimately on us? "

In Rachel's review, it seems as though the exhibit was an implosive failure of sorts. Even with all the collected text/visuals/soundbytes etc., Warhol's inner Warhol will never be justified (much less understood) by empirical data. But can any human mind or motive really ever be? I'll believe it when I can hold it and swallow it. And come on, do you think Dorothy really wanted to find out that the Wizard was a creepy short guy?

If I happen to be in London before the exhibit closes in January 2009, I'll be there. Mainly to see all the great stuff Warhol's produced. And the polaroids. Gotta love the polaroids!